rumitoid

The article below is a copy and paste, with a link provided at its conclusion. I decided to do this not because of the subject matter but for how it was written. The man writing it is a Conservative Christian and admits to have great admiration for Huckabee. Yet this does not stop him from having a critical eye on what Huckabee said and in the process becoming something of a myth-buster of a few far Right talking points. To me, this shows guts and integrity and is an excellent example as to how all of us need to approach the issues. Why? I will us the author's closing words to answer that question: "As Christian citizens, we should be upholding the truth. Regardless of our preference for the punch line or conclusion of a political argument, our first commitment is to truth."



Here is the article:
"In The Moral Landscape, atheist Sam Harris writes that much research on deductive reasoning suggests that people have a “bias” for sound conclusions and will judge a valid argument to be invalid if its conclusion lacks credibility. Mike Huckabee’s speech to the Republican National Committee winter meeting last Thursday brought Harris’s words to mind. In what may have been a strategic effort to stoke speculation about his potential candidacy in the next presidential election, Huckabee took on the contraception mandate of the Affordable Care Act, invoking the war on women and envisioning creepy Uncle Sugar doling out free contraceptives to promiscuous women. Such a message plays well to the RNC, of course, since repealing Obamacare was central to Romney’s 2012 campaign. And the evangelical crowd, whose support a future Huckabee campaign would need, gets agitated by talk of promiscuity and enraged at the possibility of supporting it.

"As a member of that evangelical crowd, however, I was saddened by Huckabee’s cheap political ploy, which to my mind mischaracterized the Democratic position and played to the fear of conservatives. According to Huckabee’s comments Thursday, in a transparent effort to beat the Democrats at the political game, liberals included the contraception mandate in the ACA to encourage a mentality of servile government dependence among women. Huckabee’s Democrats believe women cannot control their urges; thus it’s the Democrats who are the ones waging the war on women.

"Conservatives love such narratives. Conclusions charitable to ourselves and harshly critical of the opposition are tempting to embrace regardless of how tortured, mean-spirited, or convoluted the path to get there—or how patently misleading the evidence presented. However noble Huckabee’s purpose, however right his analysis, his rhetorical strategy lacked judiciousness and employed provocative, polarizing, and partisan terms. In commitment to truth, we must diligently resist such a line of reasoning.

"Huckabee’s Democrats, arguably and for the most part, simply are not actual Democrats. His explanation of the motivation behind contraception mandate bears only a distorted resemblance to President Obama’s ostensible motivation. The truth, according to Obama’s 2012 statement, is that the contraception mandate belongs under the umbrella of the preventive care measures at the heart of the health care reform. As recommended by the Institutes of Medicine, preventive care for women should include contraception coverage to allow them to “better avoid unwanted pregnancies and space their pregnancies to promote optimal birth outcomes.” Obama reminds us that birth control pills have uses beyond the contraceptive, as doctors prescribe them to lower cancer risk, to relieve endometriosis, and to combat painful periods and PMS.

"While it’s tempting to excuse a politician (or preacher, as Huckabee has been), especially a likeable one, for a less-than-honest argument whose conclusion we approve, we must resist this very human bias and hold fast to the truth. Accuracy is not merely an option; it’s essential. In his hyperbolic distortion of the truth, Huckabee implicated himself in constructing a straw man argument. Although it was, admittedly, only a small portion of his speech on Thursday, it was unworthy of him and his strong Christian faith and profession, and it’s unbecoming of Christian supporters of Huckabee to defend, endorse, or excuse this distortion.

"I say this, for the record, as a genuine admirer of the man. Mike Huckabee won my heart during the 2008 Republican primary. To date his is the only political campaign to which I have contributed. I confess I was and remain enamored of his charm and forthrightness, his concern for the unborn, and his bipartisan governing record in Arkansas. He seems a man of deep values and great integrity, a rarity in the political realm. As Huckabee has moved more prominently into the public square over the last six years, most notably with his connection to the Fox News Channel, he’s retained his charm and, I think, his genuine concern for people. But the political arena’s a nasty place; the stakes are high, and few fight fair. It corrupts the worse but can even taint the best, and Huckabee’s Thursday speech to the RNC suggests he’s becoming a bit infected by the acidic atmosphere.

"Again, this contraception mandate faces legitimate challenges, but addressing those challenges requires starting with the truth. It is important to take on the strongest opposing views. Knocking down the weakest, or most caricatured, accomplishes little. If we’re not afraid of losing, if we think the truth is on our side, why not? Additionally, no less than the truth will keep the focus where it should be: the law’s economic impact, the question of whether the federal government is overreaching, and the germane issues of religious liberty. Untruths and half-truths will further ensnare us in the already thorny path that lies ahead. In a contentious public square, Christians are called to be countercultural, modeling a wholly different approach from the narrowly and manipulatively partisan.

"Straw man arguments are easy to knock down, so they’re tempting, and they make great effigies for political rallies, but they are ineffective at seasoning our talk with grace or advancing the public discussion. They are temptations that should be resisted. Rather than leading us to the truth, they lead us further from it and distract from what’s central. And in the process, they serve as an excuse, for those who wish to exploit it, to ignore the legitimate points expressed circumspectly and sensitively—of which there were many in Huckabee’s speech.

"As Christian citizens, we should be upholding the truth. Regardless of our preference for the punch line or conclusion of a political argument, our first commitment is to truth."





http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christandpopculture/2014/02/mike-huckabee-helpless-women-and-straw-men/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=christandpopculture_020614UTC010231_daily&utm_content=&spMailingID=45037403&spUserID=NDEwMTQ2ODI2NTMS1&spJobID=380796345&spReportId=MzgwNzk2MzQ1S0

rumitoid

The problem with writing such a reasonable, fair and balanced piece like this is to be attacked on both sides. For the author, To the Teaparty, he will be the dreaded RINO; to the liberal, he will still be a Conservative Christian and not to be trusted. It is my observation at opp that comments which are sound and fair get little if any response...except for a newcomer, who expresses his relief that there appears to be at least one sane person here. Right can be wrong, and Left can be right. Let's try to take an honest look.

rumitoid

Had I titled this instead "Huckabee exchanges truth for possible votes," the actual subject of the article, it probably would have been more popular.

Mjgs Loc: New York City

First let me say, I am solidly pro choice- and believe
That until the right wingers see that women
Do have the right to birth control when needed. They will
Never have the majority of women support them.

I do However believe there should be very strict guidelines
To the timing of and amount of abortions
A woman can have . I am hoping that access to
Insurance coverage for birth control will drastically
Reduce the amount of abortions in general. I have
Been appalled that many women use the free abortion
as their Birth control method of choice. I hate
When people say "pro abortion" no one in their
Right mind is pro abortion. Pro choice is NOT
Pro abortion.. But that argument is Another topic.

The article was great and a welcome return of
Honesty in politics- how refreshing. I consider myself
A Libertarian.. But truly am squarely in tHe middle of the great Liberal:Conservative divide, which is where I believe many,
if not most, people hang out.

Both sides must allow everyone to have and keep and
proclaim their views without being attacked by the extremes on
both sides of the aisle . The problem arises, in MHO, When government -either side- tries to force their opinions on us!

Legal citizens of America can decide for themselves,
based on their own values and beliefs how to live their
lives. No one should be calling people: racist, or murderers, or morons- simply because they think for themselves and
are balancing and living by their own views. The Politician
who puts trust in ALL legal Americans... may find they have
a better chance of reaching all we "middle" folks.

truly, both extremes scare the bejesus out of me.
I really want that middle person in the Oval Office. You
don't have to agree with the views of the people, but you must
respect their right to have them and live by them, especially
private and personal ones that effect no one but themselves.

On any topic, if you simply allow legal citizens
to quietly go about their business- stop all the name
calling and hate speech- and stop lying to all of
us- well that is the person who gets my vote. And it
will not have to be the "lesser of two evils"
choice I've been making in the voting booth for decades,
Boy, that would be something!

alex Loc: michigan now imperial beach californa

I heard what Huckabee said and if the liberals didn't twist everything there would no problem but then they do the same thing to Rush and every thing they claim is a LIE which seems to be all liberals can do

Ricko Loc: Florida

rumitoid-your post makes a lot of sense. What church Leaders object to is being forced to provide a service that is totally against their religious beliefs. I agree that it would reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abandoned children whose father is off impregnating another victim. I also understand the governments desire to help women in that regard. Maybe the pharmaceutical companies could change the name from Morning After pill to Hormone EX for active women to call less attention to its actual use and stop the continuous advertising of such products. The church leaders would probably relent if it were not for the government's "in your face - like it or not" attitude. We all realize that the government is trying to reduce the overall burden to society in general but the "my way or the highway " approach is not the way to go. Good Luck America !!!

rumitoid

The author is a recognized Christian conservative. Did you bother to read what he said or just assumed that if he did not blindly agree he must be a liberal?

rumitoid

Once again, this is an exemplary example of fair and balanced, a model for us all.

alex Loc: michigan now imperial beach californa

I heard Mike I don't need an interpreter

UncleJesse Loc: Hazzard Co, GA

This was a verbose article that simply says Huck wasn't being fair to label the American Medical Association endorsement of all preventive medicine as promoting uncontrolled libido in women. I don't know about the straw man argument but when doctors and economists recommend that some things should be covered at no cost due to their beneficial effects of reducing costs, it is typically a good political strategy to agree with them.

rumitoid

That's all you got? The point was that a person known in Conservative circles to be staunchly on the Right took the risk of criticizing certain points that are lies but major talking points for Republicans. Both sides should be willing to be this honest no matter how much it may hurt. This kind of integrity in this political climate of such open hostility and partisan warfare is what Jesus would have done.

UncleJesse Loc: Hazzard Co, GA

No, I didn't read it that way. I am skeptical it was a politically motivated criticism of Huck knowing that it wasn't good strategy. This is what needs to happen even if it has a façade of integrity and truth if they want to get a sizeable part of the female main street vote.

UnionSparky Loc: left coast

Just going for the sound bite of your post.
Can someone explain when there are differing view points among the right, they lack unity or divided amongst them selves?
Is there no diversity on the left, all must think the same?

Viral

The straw man argument is purported due to the portrayal of the uncontrollable sexual desires of women as opposed to acknowledging the possibility of it as a doctor recommended preventative treatment. Thereby creating something to hate.

As to the article as a whole. Very well written. This is the kind of thing that I like to see.

UncleJesse Loc: Hazzard Co, GA

I understand what that is but to me it is not a straw man argument rather, it is handing a rope to your opponent to hang you by. If it's anything positive regarding political strategy, it is placating to a conservative Christian voter base. For it to be a straw man argument, it would have to corner an opponent to say something that is disliked by main street. Huck did that to himself instead of to a political opponent.

I'm glad many liked it. I just thought it was too wordy with tippy toe-sentences to ensure the reader wasn't offended and would continue reading. I'd just prefer being direct and to the point.

Thanks for reaching out to help someone understand but that is how I feel about it.